Impact evaluations are powerful tools for understanding whether social programmes truly deliver meaningful change. By comparing what happened with and without an intervention, these evaluations help NGOs, governments, and communities learn from real experience and improve future efforts.
The following are some case studies of impact evaluation from around the world:
- Education Program Evaluation Case Study – Educate Girls (India)
- In rural India, the NGO “Educate Girls” partnered with government schools to boost girls’ enrollment and learning. Through a structured evaluation tied to a Development Impact Bond, the programme demonstrated significant improvements in school attendance and foundational literacy and numeracy skills. This real-world example of NGO evaluations showed not just outputs but measurable learning gains for children involved.
- Health Sector Impact Assessment Examples – Mama Kits (Zambia)
- Another striking example comes from Zambia, where an impact evaluation studied the effect of providing “mama kits” to expectant mothers to encourage facility-based childbirth. Evaluators found that the intervention did indeed increase deliveries in health facilities, leading policymakers to recommend scaling up the program nationwide.
- Social Protection Evaluation – Tayssir (Morocco)
- Cash transfer programmes like Tayssir in Morocco were evaluated to see how direct financial support influences school attendance. The impact evaluation found positive effects on reducing dropout and grade repetition rates among rural children, offering clear evidence for expanding such social support systems.
- Nutrition and Agriculture – IFPRI and ANGeL (Bangladesh)
- In Bangladesh, an impact evaluation of the Agriculture, Nutrition, and Gender Linkages (ANGeL) pilot project helped government and partners refine social protection and agricultural policies by showing how integrated interventions improved nutrition outcomes.
- Community Development Evaluation Examples
- Beyond individual programmes, impact evaluations are used to assess broader community development efforts, such as strengthening local markets, women’s economic participation, or rural health worker effectiveness. These examples highlight how mixed-method evaluations bring both numbers and community voices into understanding real change.
Impact evaluations in social programmes don’t just measure success; they provide evidence that can guide decision-making, improve programme design, and ultimately enhance lives across diverse contexts.
List of recommended resources #
For a broad overview #
Impact Evaluation Methods for Social Programs
This note by Ferdinando Regalia discusses certain impact evaluation methods which can be implemented in social programs. Regalia discusses, in particular, experimental design, quasi-experimental design, and general equilibrium effects.
When does a social program need an impact evaluation?
This article by Will Schupmann and Matthew Eldridge for Urban Wire gives an introductory overview of why and how social programs need impact evaluation to analyse their effectiveness.
For in-depth understanding #
Impact Evaluation of Social Programs : A Policy Perspective
This note by Johan Blomquist outlines the core features of high-quality impact evaluations in social programmes, examines political and institutional factors that affect their use, and discusses strategies to promote wider adoption of evaluation findings.
What is Social Impact Assessment? A Complete Guide for Businesses & Communities
This article published by 4th Wheel Social Impact discusses what is social impact assessment and why it is important, as well as its key components and types, along with a step-by-step guide on its process. and how to conduct it
Case study #
Impact evaluation of development programmes: Experiences from Viet Nam
This paper by Nguyen Viet Cuong discusses the experiences and difficulties in evaluating the impact of development programs in Viet Nam. The paper also presents several examples of project impact evaluations.
Social impact assessment and (realist) evaluation: meeting of the methods
This article by C. Nicholas Taylor, Michael Mackay and Harvey C. Perkins explores the links between social impact assessment and impact evaluation, particularly realist evaluation, using evidence from rural regeneration programmes. It advocates greater methodological integration and highlights the importance of mixed-method, qualitative, and participatory approaches to understanding social change and improving outcomes in social programmes.
